Britons going on holiday to Europe next summer will have to obtain a €7 (£5.97) visa waiver, EU officials have confirmed.
The new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), due to be launched in the spring, will require “third country” nationals entering the bloc to apply for a short-term visa, similar to the US Esta, before travelling. The system will replace the current manual stamping of passports and will record the traveller’s name, type of travel document and biometric data.
Ylva Johansson, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, told staff working on the EES programme:
After intense dialogues with member states, with you, with the different stakeholders — I have decided that the EES will enter into operations on November 10.
She also confirmed that ETIAS should be launched six months later. This means it could come into force before the May half-term next year and is likely to be in place by the summer holidays.
The EU Commission says most ETIAS applications will be approved “within minutes” but in some cases it could take up to 30 days, which could leave Britons caught off guard by the rule change.
Once approved, Britons travelling to popular holiday destinations including France, Spain and Portugal will have insurance for three years or until their passport expires.
